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Tag: Farm House

Introduction

Stargazing is a great activity. It brings the universe closer to the person and increases one’s knowledge of the visible universe. It also increases one’s appreciation of nature and beyond. With so many TV shows focused on bodies outside our earth, it would be a great idea for one to see them firsthand. This activity can be great when one lives on a farm. It increases one’s appreciation of the organic farming they are practicing.

Little Light Pollution

Sadly, for most people who live in the cities, they will never get a clear view of the universe outside earth. This is due to light interference, which tends to flood the sky. Although this light is necessary for keeping the economy running and the streets safe, it has a downside. One cannot get any clear images with so much light interference. In fact, only a few planets and the moon can be seen in the night sky inside or near cities.

This is the reason scientists prefer to locate their huge telescopes in the most remote areas of the earth. The less light interference there is, the better the images will appear. For someone who lives on a farm, there is the rare opportunity to view the night sky with great clarity. This is an opportunity one should not pass. Even a weak telescope will work just great on a farm. One might even spot a rare event in the night sky such as a supernova.

No Interference from Heat Radiation

Most of the streets in the city and almost all the rooftops are made of concrete material. While a rooftop provides an elevated viewing, it is of little consequence to the clarity of images. The pavements usually absorb a lot of heat. This is why they feel warm to the touch, especially in summer. As the heat escapes, back into the atmosphere at night, it causes turbulence. This swirling air forms pockets of hot air with different density. As a result, any light passing through such an area is bent and at times scattered. The celestial bodies produce very little amount of light. It is important that one captures as much of it as possible.

On the other hand as the researchers have pointed out , farmlands have very few paved portions. The result is that most of the heat is reflected back by the grass during the day, it addition, the grass is a very poor absorber of heat. This means that the air just above a grass field experiences very little turbulence. In fact, all the air above a grass field is usually of a relatively uniform temperature, with very little swirling. This makes it more fun to capture the faint light from celestial bodies on the farms.

There is Little Vibration

In the city, there are a lot of heavy traffic and trains moving through the streets below. As a result, this traffic tends to produce a lot of vibration. Although the person can feel some, some of the vibrations are too subtle. In order for the telescope to work properly, it needs to be set on an area where it does swing at all. The telescope works by directing light towards the person’s eyes. For a stargaze using a wobbly telescope, any images they see will likely be distortions and unrealistic. As a result, one may end up being excited over distortions.

On a farm, there is very little machinery, most of which is usually operated during the day. This means that the night in the farm is usually very quiet. This makes it the optimal place to operate the telescope. This in itself should be reason enough to purchase a telescope.

Conclusion

Except for the fresh air and consuming organic food, there is not much else to do on a farm. A telescope would be a great way to liven up the life in the farm. It offers an unimpeded view of the night sky because there is less likely to be smog in the sky from the vehicles. Generally, one should remember to point the telescope away from any porch lights. It would also be great to operate the telescope in the dead of night. This is the time when there is the least amount of light interference.